The Great Pretender
by shuusetsu
Summary: Misaki is a straight guy pretending to be gay for some personal reasons. However, when he met the homophobic Usami Akihiko, he started wondering whether he was just acting or...
1. Chapter 1

_konnichi wa! i decided to write this story based on real love story. whose? mine. lol...but of course, i edited some things and placed it in a yaoi settings. hope you enjoy!^^ _

* * *

**_The Great Pretender_**

**the pretender and the homophobe**

* * *

_Misaki Takahashi purposely waived his hips as he walked across their living room. Making sure that his father would see how he was acting so lewdly and flirtatious. The eighteen-year-old high school student could feel his father's eyes burning at the back of his skull. He almost jumped out of his skin hearing his father had crumpled the newspaper he was holding._

_"Are you purposely trying to irritate me young man?!" his father barked._

_The green eyed young man gritted his teeth before turning at his father, showing a sweet flash of his pearly whites._

_"Ah...Otou-san...I didn't know you were there. I'm leaving now."_

_However, before Misaki could take further steps towards their door, he felt his blazer being yanked backwards and felt a hot sensation burning on his face as his father's knuckles hit hard on his flesh._

* * *

In a far corner of the library, Misaki tried to understand the words written on the book he was reading. But they were too blurry as his eyes started pouring out hot sting of emotions contained inside for two long and the sob he tried so hard to supress from their house all the way to his high school escaped his mouth. His shaking hands gripped the sides of the Economics book he had borrowed.

"Nii-chan..." he hid his face on the book, his tears soflty tainting the dirty white paper. "I am going to leave that house soon and reach your dreams for you. Father would have to kill me, before he could force me to be in an army. He wouldn't be able to make me...like how he forced you."

"Hey are you stupid?" Takatsuki Shinobu exclaimed as he and his friend Misaki walked towards their third period class.

"Befriend that guy-hater girl? Are you out of your mind?" the blonde scowled. He knew Misaki's situation far too deep but he just couldn't understand why Misaki would want to be close to a guy-hater girl.

Misaki ran his hand through his silky hair and smiled sweetly, playing the gay game he started the moment he saw a teacher close to his father. He was so sure that teacher will eventually tell his father how flirtatious his son was in school.

"That girl is quiet popular around here right? If a rumor gets around that Takahashi Misaki, the only left son of General Takahashi of Japan's Military Division A, is a close friend of a notorious guy hater, then my being gay would spread faster."

Shinobu could only shake his head at the stupidity but he didn't say anymore as he took his seat and prepare his things for the Statistics class. After all, unlike Misaki he had the freedom to choose whatever he wanted to be. Unlike his friend who was being forced to join the military by his strict and stiff father.

Shinobu stole a glance at his dear friend's cheek with an obvious bruise. He was left wondering why a father would still want his remaining son to join the army, when his oldest son already died from being in it. Was the "continuing the blood of soldiers" that important to General Takahashi that he wouldn't even listen to Misaki's wish of fulfilling his dead brother's wish of taking Economics?

How parents think really was a mystery. Did they make babies for them to order around and force towards anything on their whims? Or Misaki was just plain unlucky?

* * *

Two days passed and Takahashi Misaki successfully befriended the notorious man-hater, beautiful senior Kaoruko.

How Misaki managed to do it was a mystery to himself as well. He just talked about the things girls would normally talk about. Fashion, makeup, baking...everything that he painstakingly read through the night came handy. Plus telling the girl he was gay though he really wasn't was a lot of help to the game he was playing.

Misaki excitedly imagined his father's reaction once he heard of it. He was so sure he'd get another punch or two on the face, but until he graduates high school, he'd put up with it.

Sunday came and Misaki who was wearing a bold pink jacket in the middle of broad daylight smiled to himself. Kaoruko had invited him to her apartment to do some baking. He may be lying about being gay, but baking was really a passion. Something he always wanted to do but what his father forbade him to do. According to the great general, the kitchen is for women only. A man never had to step in it. It was a woman's role.

Sighing at the narrow mindedness of his father, Misaki blinked at the piece of paper he was holding. Making sure he wasn't just making a huge mistake.

"Oh my God," Misaki whispered. "This? This? THIS?!" Misaki gawked at the montrous, exclusive condominium before him. He turned left and right. His mind was blown away.

He knew Kaoruko was from a well-off family. But not as well off as THIS.

Nervous the entire time he was on the elevator up to top most floor of the condominium, Misaki wondered how he would face such a high status family. He came from a fine family too, but that kind of luxury was only in his imagination until that day he stood in front of the room number written on the piece of paper the girl gave to him. He wiped his sweaty hands against his jeans before pressing the "talk" button of the intercom beside the steel door.

"Ano...Good morning. This is Takahashi. I'm here to see Kaoru-chan..." Misaki muttered nervously.

He stood there for so long it felt like it lasted for all eternity.

Misaki wasn't sure if he heard an irritated grunt at the other side of the intercom. "Takahashi?"

"Eh..ha-hai! Takahashi Misaki sir..." he added "sir" because maybe it was his friend's father.

Silence.

_What's this? Is there an xray machine here scanning me if I have deadly weapons on me? Kaoru-chan..._

"Eh?" Misaki could hear a somehow distant voice of a girl coming from the intercom. "Why didn't you let him in right away?! You're so hopeless!"

Before Misaki knew it, the gate to impossible luxury opened revealing Kaoruko still in her pyjamas smiling at him.

"Misaki-chaaaaaaaan! You're on time I'm surprised! Come in!"

"Sorry for intruding..." Misaki mumbled as he roamed his emerald orbs through the endless space before him.

He felt so small as he absorbed the spacious place. It was so bright because of the glass panels allowing the sun to shower it's glory inside the huge flat. He felt like he could run forever in it but won't be able to finish running around it. He knew he was exaggerating But so what? It was his first time ever setting foot in a real exclusive flat for the richest among the rich. He decided he'd memorize every detail.

Busy with making himself look like a complete ignorant, the intense glare he was trying to brush off grew even more. He felt his body turn on its own to meet the glare.

Misaki looked innocently at the frowning lavender eyes at him. The man was tall. He was wearing a lose cotton shirt and a black trousers, bare footed. Somehow looked older than them. Not just by appearance but by the aura the man was giving off. It somehow intrigued Misaki why his friend, a man-hater was living with a man. The silver-haired man who seem not be fond of him the least bit seemed to be not a father figure at all.

Seemingly not being able to gaze away, Misaki felt soft hands clung around his own thin arm. He was slightly taller than the girl so when he looked down, he met Kaoruko's serious eyes.

"Misaki-chan, don't mind my uncle. He's a homophobic, but don't give a damn to him. Okay?"

The girl pulled him towards the cooking area. She peeked into the refrigarator and grabbed a whole tray of eggs. Misaki darted his eyes from the already ready equipments for baking to Kaouroku's flowing long hair.

"Uncle? Homo-phobe?"

"Yeah." She answered in an uninterested voice. "He's name is the great writer Usami Akihiko," she rolled her eyes. "I told him a friend would come. A male. Naturally he knew you'd be _you know_ since he knows I hate men."

"You hate men and you live with one?" Misaki asked confused.

"No I am just crashing here for the time being. He's grumpy and the worst homophobic but I feel fine with him. Just ignore his glare. He feels like he'd die just breathing the same air with a gay guy. It's a disease."

Misaki looked down at the cute apron set on the table and smiled at himself awkwardly. _Well I am not really gay but a guy-hater and a homophobic relatives living together? What a crazy pair..."_

The two pair started their craft. Misaki beating the eggs, Kaoruko preparing the icing. Without any sound, the two teens looked surprised when the silverhaired man emerged out of nowhere and pulled the fridge open with a total blank expression. Misaki who was closest to the fridge tried to inch away.

"It sweltering here," Misaki heard the deep voice mumble as the man took a bottle of water for himself. Misaki was sure he saw the piercing eyes at him while the tall man gulped the water down.

_"Ignore...ignore..._" the teen focused his eyes at the bowl of eggs instead.

Misaki was so sure the owner of the flat would be gone as fast as he appeared. He felt huge discomfort when the man lingered and stood beside the huge, silver refrigerator.

"Oi...Kaoruko, how long will I have to endure a homo in MY flat?"

Kaoruko's pretty face scowled. She wasn't the prim girl many thought she'd be.

"Can you leave us alone? If you can't stay with my friend, then lock yourself in your room!"

_I am not gay so I am not really affected, but...his eyes are scary..._

After a moment of silence, the girl dropped her apron on the table and looked worried. "Oh my god, Misaki-chan...can you wait for me here? I forgot to buy something for the cake! I'll be back in a few!"

Without even listening to Misaki's protest, the girl flew away to change her pyjamas and not long after that, slammed the steel door shut. All the while, Misaki's eyes never left the bowl of eggs about to be overly beaten. He didn't know what to do with the homophobic glaring at him.

The boy froze when he felt the tall man behind him.

"So Mister Gay...I am honestly, honestly disgusted having you touch my things, so if you could please hurry and leave?"

The voice was so slow. And though he had no any hard feelings towards being called gay since it was his goal to spread it around anyway, the way he was being chased off somehow offended and hurt him.

Slowly, Misaki placed the bowl of the egg whites he'd been beating for some time now and took off the very pink, lacy apron that Kaoruko insisted he wear. He didn't want to stay together with a man with a knife for a tongue anyway.

He walked quietly towards the main door feeling like he was walking a death march as the uncle of his man-hater friend followed him from behind.

The tall guy opened the door for him with a fake smile. His thin lips curled upwards but his eyes were menacing and demeaning.

When the heavy steel door opened, Misaki stared wide eyed at the woman standing by the hallway laughing merrily with a man. He froze unable to move for a minute.

"Oi...I need to close this freakin door, move out of the way..." the voice hissed behind him impatiently.

_That woman is a friend of Otou-san..._

The moment the woman darted her eyes at Misaki's frozen direction, Misaki's body moved on his own and he desperately clung to the nearest guy beside him. Usami Akihiko.

"What the fuck are you doing you homo!?"

The guy tried to yank his arms from Misaki's grasp but Misaki held on to them tighter. The green eyed boy faced the disgusted man and faked a sweet smile. Something that disgusted the man even more.

"Come on...come on..." Misaki muttered, his fake smile still plastered on his face as he pushed the man back inside his flat with all his might.

As if Usami had just gotten the worst germs in the world, he frantically wiped his bare arm with his other hand with a completely angry look at Misaki.

Misaki who had shut the door behind him panted nervously. Yet he was relieved he was sure the woman saw him and would surely tell his father. The angry man before him was not his main concern for now. But when he saw the man huffing and glaring at him and started walking towards him with a deathly aura, Misaki started feeling uneasy.

"I told you to get out. Yet you had the nerve to touch me?"

"Sorry...I just needed to..."

"Fuck you all homos are dirty!

The wide space looked like an imaginary cube shrinking and shrinking, crushing Misaki inside it. He wasn't gay, but he was getting insulted.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM ABOUT GAYS!" Misaki burst out, raising the flag of all the gays in Japan.

The lavender eyes pierced him from outside to his core he shivered. He could clearly see hatred from them. Soon he found himself trapped between the man's long arms on both his sides. Usami's flawless face hovering above him.

"The problem with gays...IS THAT ALL OF YOU ARE FUCKIN LIARS."

* * *

** chapter end notes:**

wohooot! i hope you enjoyed this kinda short first chappy. this is just gonna be short..maybe 5 chapters? ahah

please leave comments!^^

my love story...? well the idea came from a guy who pretended gay just to be friends with me. i was so boyish before i beat up guys who annoy me. (seriously) soon, from the hands of fate, since i was the menace i was, me and my friend who was his cousin sneaked into their house into his room. i didn't know he was keeping a diary and we read it. out the secret came.

and you know the rest!^^ hahaha


	2. The Other Pretender

yaho! finally with this one after centuries! ^^

* * *

**【【【****the other pretender】】】**

* * *

Misaki gathered all his wits staring at the face of the fuming man before him. Every heavy breath from him was telling Misaki that Usami Akihiko wasn't lying about his disgust and hatred for homosexuals. And yet, the fighter in Misaki wouldn't just allow himself cowering just because a stranger was totally buying him as a gay. If only his father would also buy the freakin tale he'd been painfully knitting then there would be no problem anymore.

"Mister," Misaki started, faking a very stern voice. The teen thought he could pass as an actor in reality the way he could do that. "You say that, but have you never ever told a single lie in your life?"

For a fleeting moment, Misaki saw that wavering flinch in those beautiful lavender eyes Misaki almost smiled at his victory.

Maintaining the courageous smile on his face his jaw almost grew numb, Misaki started bending his knees to escape the arms that blocked both of his sides.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

"We-well, I'm trying to leave..." Misaki answered but a sudden stupid idea came to Misaki he smiled again at the man. "You know Mister if you keep doing this, I might take it as you hitting on me..."

Like the walls became hot he felt burnt, Usami backed away from the grinning kid, unable to fathom why he couldn't just punch the kid flat on the face. If any gay had so much said that on his face any other day, the poor gay would have ended in some hospital. But no matter how irritated Usami was already, the thought of hitting the teen before him seemed crazy.

Maybe because he's just a kid. Usami justified inside his head. He couldn't think of any other reason anyway.

"Get out of my sight," the older man muttered under his breath.

Misaki hurriedly went to the door he just closed minutes ago, only to pause right in the middle. The living area suddenly became filled with a comical ring tone that rendered both males unmoving. The distant sound of some old anime song rang through out the entire flat.

Scratching his head, Misaki slowy turned to face the master of the house. "Erm, that's my phone...I think left it in the kitchen..."

"Tsk," Usami turned his back massaging his temples. "Go get it and get lost, damn it."

Only thankful that Misaki hasn't left the place without his phone, the teen took hurried steps towards the kitchen and grabbed his phone that he had placed near the sink.

He wandered his eyes around the table top where the ingredients for the cake were left. Bowls of strawberries, some foodcoloring in small tubes, spatulas and other small molds for mini cakes, they all looked somehow sad for Misaki. He really did want to make one since he couldn't do it at home or his father would throw them all out even before he could crack a single egg.

He almost forgot the ringing of his phone that when he saw the caller, Misaki almost jumped from surprise.

"Takatsuki? What?"

_"I just called to check on your rendevouz...how's it going?"_

"Rendevouz you say..."

He didn't have any intention of doing so but when he raised his gaze towards the door, an unmistakable anger was once again plastered in the face of Usami. Misaki didn't notice the man standing by the door. Perhaps he really was taking time just for picking his phone.

"Ah, Shin-chan, I'm on my way, please wait for me okay?" Misaki sheepishly whispered to his phone.

_"Oi? What 'Shin-chan'? You're giving me the creeps!"_

"Oh...I miss you too..."

Misaki didn't look anymore at the older man in the room knowing Usami Akihiko was already at the end of his wits. For some reason, Misaki was finding some pleasure at irritating the man he pretended talking to an imaginary lover. At that moment, his friend Takatsuki Shinobu.

Misaki was pretty much enjoying pretending the gay game he'd been playing a bit too much that day.

* * *

"Should be fine to go home now, right?"

Misaki had been loitering around after leaving that very unfriendly place that morning. He didn't want to go home right after that so he tried looking for any opening for a part-time job. Just his bad luck was surfacing and he didn't see any.

When he finally saw their house, his steps grew slower. There was light in his room. He could clearly see it from where he was standing. Their house in a quiet subdivision, a little too big for a family of three, Misaki trudge the remaining meters to their house, knowing that his father was probably in his room waiting to give him a fist.

The door chime gave off a homely ring when he opened the door. In an instant, he saw his mother's worried face. She must have been waiting for him all this time by the door.

"Misaki, what have you done this time? You're dad is really mad..."

Bending to take his shoes off, Misaki only snickered. "Isn't he always like that anyway, Mom?"

After leaving his shoes behind, he just smiled at his mother who looked really hurt. In that house, it was only his mother who could at least understand what the boy really wanted to do with his life. However, she just wasn't really that strong willed to go against the wish of his husband. The man was as old fashion as ancient Gingko trees in the nearby park that women in the house get to say only a few things about matters. It was also another thing that Misaki hated in that household.

He took his steps up the stairs in a slow manner. He glanced at the first closed door that he saw. The room that used to be his brother. It seemed like his footsteps grew slower and heavier. It was somehow a way for the young man to actually prepare himself for a punch or two. Prepare his body that would accept the blow. And prepare his battered heart that would carry the wound.

"Why, of all people is my father the one who couldn't understand a thing?" Misaki whispered to air, more like to the walls.

Finally facing the farthest room of the second floor, Misaki stepped in since the door wasn't locked and it was left ajar.

"You really have guts showing your dirty acts in front of my friends huh, boy?" the man who was still wearing his work suit uttered in a menacing voice as he started inching forward his own son.

Misaki just looked at the floor. He already resigned to accepting how many blows he'd have that night.

"Tell me, why are you doing this to me?! To this family!?"

Without mercy, huge, calloused hand grabbed Misaki by the collar. It was too high Misaki felt being hanged. His small hands on his father's Misaki just maintained a poker face.

"Do you really enjoy giving shame to us?!" the man roared. His voice nd warm breath touching Misaki's skin the teen could feel that his father was about to lose it.

The grip tightened and Misaki's front started to melt. It was hard to breath, his neck was aching and most of all, he started crying.

"I don't want to go to the military..." Misaki choked.

The green eyes of the man turned into slits. He by forced had slammed Misaki's back against the wall.

"Huh? That's the whole reason I am throwing you in the military! To fix that homosexuality in you! I don't fucking care if you are a straight or a dirty homo! YOU WILL JOIN THE MILITARY RIGHT AFTER YOU GRADUATE! YOU HEAR ME?!"

Without a sound, Misaki just stared at his father with eyes weeping.

"Otou-san...don't you care your remaining son might die the same death Nii-chan had? Don't you really care about what I want?"

The man looked straight into Misaki's tired eyes. However, this man was already blinded by family tradition of continuing the blood of soldiers and the family and his pride that he only smirked at his son.

"And what? Allow you to rot in some office doing mundane works? Not in a hundred years punk."

"I want to do what Nii-chan couldn't do because of your selfishness!" Misaki spat.

It all happened so fast the world came stumbling down on Misaki and his neck felt like it snapped. He laid sprawled on the floor, shaking as he felt the hot and prickly sensation at the side of his face. When the teen stuck his tongue out to feel his lips, he tasted something rustic and hot. His own blood.

Misaki sat on the floor, wiping the blood on his lips with the sleeves of his pink jacket. The tears Misaki couldn't hold back started their way out of the corners of his hot eyes. This was a scene that never ended. It was like a bad replay of some seriously annoying dramaseries. It wouldn't stop. Same old story every night. It was tiring, it was suffocating, it was excruciating and yet, Misaki couldn't do a thing to put a halt to it.

"Stop your gay act Misaki. I already passed your recommendation to the Military academy and they're more than willing to accept you. SO STOP MAKING A SHAME OF THIS FAMILY AND ACT ORDERLY!"

* * *

"I'D RATHER COMMIT SUICIDE!"

Misaki wasn't thinking anymore. He had dashed out of the house only getting a glimpse of his mother's distraught face. He ran like a bullet through the night. He didn't stop for a single break. He just ran and ran with every remaining strenght in his body. Truthfully he was so weak, but his anger had served as his strenght and he kept on going to the maze of people.

It took him hours of endless wandering before he felt his legs couldn't go any farther.

"Shit...shit..." Misaki cursed as he slowly slid down the cold ground of some already closed establishment.

It was only that time Misaki realized how painful his face was, how his neck hurt and how his legs were all in a cramp. Everything in him hurt so bad however the deepest wound he had couldn't even gush blood.

When Misaki raised his head and roamed his gaze around, it was pink, blue and orange lights the pierced right through Misaki's irises. It made created a throbbing pain at the very core of the teen's head.

"Isn't this convenient? I did end up into this gay district..." Misaki half smiled despite his busted lip while gazing at the couples that passed before his eyes.

He was too tired from all the running that the comfort of his bum on the cold ground became surprisingly soothing.

"Oh my god..." Misaki mumbled, his gaze fixed at some groupie socializing with each other. Not just socializing but they were feeling each other's bottom, or kissing other's neck, or really kissing right there in the middle of the streets. Misaki might have acted like he was gay but he had never seen the real deal. Not until that night.

"Th-they really do those kind of things?" Even to Misaki, though he wasn't all that disgusted, the meer fact he wasn't was already a question. But he unconsciously had shunned this question into the depths of his mind ignoring it. He was acting he was gay for the sake of not having to go to the Military Academy. Nothing else. Period.

He was all too occupied with his thinking he barely felt someone was already eyeing him.

"Hey...what a busted face you have there..." a voice started. Misaki looked up he thought he was seeing a post talk to him. The guy was tall and behind the shadows, the eyes looking at him were fierce. "...had a fight with your boy friend?"

Misaki gulped. _He...he can't be hitting on me...right?_

The guy bended on his knees and scrutinized the boy's face before him.

"You have a cute face, if I were your boyfriend, I would never cause you these kind of wounds...such a waste..."

Misaki couldn't describe the fear he felt watching the guy's long fingers slowly reach out to his face. It was as if a monster looming in on him. With the reflex of the body sensing danger, Misaki abruptly stood and ran away. Ran faster than he did when he dashed away from home. Ran away from the scary district only to almost meet a car accident.

Heart in his throat, Misaki just stared at the car in front of him. He stared hard but he couldn't see a thing as the rush of fear from the guy earlier and the fear of actually dying in just a flash took over his mind. He had gone unconscious in the middle of the road while standing.

"Misaki-chan?" a distant voice echoed inside Misaki's ears. "Misaki-chan? Oi, what on Earth..."

He could hear a gasp of surprise. Probably because of his swollen face and busted lips and him breaking out in cold sweat and him shaking. Everything about him that night was screaming so not fine.

As if in a trance, he allowed the soft hands push him to the side of wherever. Maybe on the side of the road? He followed like a good child without any protest.

A couple of minutes has passed and finally, when Misaki lifted his gaze, he saw the worried, beautiful face of his new friend Kaoruko.

"Misaki-chan...what happened to you? We almost hit you!" she scolded. "If uncle wasn't able to hit the breaks right on time you'd be in a pulp!" she half cried, half scolded.

Mind still in the gutters as if he was drunk of all the misfortunes coming to him, Misaki cocked his head as he looked at the pair of irritated lavender eyes looking down on him.

"Misaki-chan...we'll go to the hospital okay? Call your parents..." she continued.

Out of the blue, Misaki started laughing. "No thank you...this is really fine..."

Usami darted his gaze away from the wreck of a boy before him and looked around. He could feel the churn in his stomach as he realized that they were in the gay district of Tokyo. The air in the area almost suffocating him. No wonder that kid whom Kaoruko was calling as 'Misaki' was looking like that. Probably got a mess with his boy friend or refused to pay for a drink. Anyway he look at the boy, the boy was a view of someone in a stupid gay relationship.

"Come on...we cannot leave you like this..." Kaoruko stood and glared at his uncle. "He's staying at our house...alright?"

"What?!"

"What, you're leaving my friend like this in this state? Put aside that freakin phobia of yours for a while will you and be human!"

"And you," Kaoruko looked at Misaki. "You don't want to go to the hospital then come with us and I will tend to your wounds."

* * *

In Usami Akihiko's flat, there sat the depressed teen who suddenly refused to take the ointment Kaoruko was applying.

"I don't deserve your kindness..." Misaki mumbled, smiling weakly at the girl.

Kaoruko who was sitting on a stool while Misaki on the wide bed of the guestroom frowned. "This isn't time for this. We have to disinfect this..."

Misaki raised his hand to block the girl's. He sighed and looked down. "I am just lying."

"Ha?"

"Me being gay, me having a boy friend...everything was just a lie...I'm sorry..."

The spacious room suddenly felt that it shrank. The silence from the girl was what Misaki feared and he wouldn't budge at all if the girl would slap him. He would even turn the other cheek.

Lowering her hand with the cotton soaked with an oitment, Kaoruko looked hurt. She stared for a moment at the green-eyed guy. The feeling of being hurt from the betrayal sucks like hell. However, instead of throwing a fit, the girl let her anger for guys aside and let understanding for that night take over. It wasn't easy. But Misaki had been a wonderful companion. She just couldn't forget those like it didn't happen.

"If you don't tell me the whole reason why, I'd really be mad..." she whispered.

And so, the thing that Misaki had been keeping escaped his own mouth. It wasn't just Shinobu now who knew what he was doing. Kaoruko too. And Usami Akihiko who overheard everything when he was about to bring a change of clothes for Misaki.

* * *

The whole place was dark. No wonder since it must be the wee hours of the night. And yet, Misaki couldn't fall asleep. He had been tossing and turning on the huge bed but sleep wouldn't come to him. The face of the girl reflashed and reflashed in his mind.

"Let's just rest for now. Honestly I don't know what to feel. Let me sort out my thoughts about this. Rest well."

Misaki held on to the side of the wall as he tried his best not to fall on the steps as he made his way down. His throat was parched.

From his vague memory of the flat from his visit earlier that morning, Misaki moved towards the kitchen, aiming for a glass of water.

Feeling the switch at the wall, Misaki finally was able to find it and a sudden flood of light filled the entire area. The teen was about to pull open the refrigeratordoor when he noticed a mini bar not far from it. He didn't know what has gotten to his mind, but a bottle of wine, though he haven't tasted one yet, felt more satisfying than a glass of water.

Misaki searched his pocket for some money. But he only had a few coins. Still, he pulled all his coins out and placed it on the smooth surface of the counter top. There were just so many bottles he didn't know what to pick so he pulled the one that his hand could reach the easiest.

The teen sat on the high stool and started sniffing the contents after he had opened it.

"That wine isn't cheap."

To Misaki's surprise at the voice, he almost knocked out the bottle sitting on the counter top. He looked to where the voice was coming and saw the master of the flat, Usami Akihiko approaching him. The man seemed to have gone out for a walk. Though Misaki didn't know why a man would go out in the middle of the night for just a mere walk.

"Sorry...I'll put it back."

Again, to the teen's surprise, Usami sat on the stool beside his. Misaki felt confused.

_"Isn't he mad about gays?"_

"Don't look so surprised. I heard everything you said earlier."

Utter shock in Misaki's face, the teen darted his gaze away from the guy sitting beside him. Now Misaki could just wish to die on the spot.

"Well, I wouldn't say sorry, you just blurted it out. Naturally I would hear it."

"..."

The tall man sighed and took a glass and poured himself some of the wine Misaki had chosen. "I know the feeling of wanting to rebel when you are being forced to do something you don't want."

Misaki sheepishly stole a glance at the man and back at the row of bottles of wine before him.

"You're pretending you're gay so you wouldn't be forced to go to the Military Academy right?"

Misaki didn't know what to feel with the sudden man to man talk he was having to the guy not long ago was treating him like he was his number one enemy.

"You could say that..." Misaki answered softly.

"Say I help you?"

At hearing this, Misaki had fully stared at the eyes looking at him as if bored and observing at the same time.

"Excuse me?"

"You're not gay and am not. So there would be no problem."

Misaki just had a total dumbfounded look.

"We pretend we are a couple. I think unless you show the real deal to your father, he wouldn't believe you."

The teen almost lost his balance from his seat barely making it in time to grab the edge of the smooth surface of the countertop.

Why go that far? Misaki was having a real storm inside his head. But somehow in his muddled brain it made sense.

"You hate gays and you will act like one?" Misaki asked in soft calculating voice.

"Acting is alright. Like I said, I know the feeling of wanting to rebel when forced to do something you don't want."

Misaki drew a deep breath and gathered his courage. "Th-that's alright with me if it's okay with you..."

Usami suddenly looked straight at Misaki's eyes so hard Misaki thought the man was reading his thoughts. "There's one condition though..."

"Condition?" Misaki repeated.

"Everything is just an act. You can't seriously fall in love with me."

* * *

**notes++**

yey! finally was able to update this too!^^ thank you for your time and please let me know your thoughts^^

-shuusetsu


	3. Too Good

**yohohoho...^^**

* * *

**【【【****Too Good】】】**

* * *

"What the hell am I doing?" he asked as he found himself hugging an expensive looking shoe not his size.

When Misaki woke up, he was on the kitchen floor sprawled like an eagle about to be butchered. His borrowed clothes from Usami smelled like booze. His vision a little blurry, like there was some kind of smoke surrounding him. And the worst was his brains were all over the place.

He sat slowly, grunting here and there as he massaged his thundering temples. When he finally got to sit without toppling over the floor once more, he stared at the oven before him and thought things over.

"Why am I lying on the floor like that?" he whispered, scratching his head.

The morning was still early and the sun hasn't yet to rise, leaving Misaki in the faint darkness of the kitchen.

After all pondering and rearranging his thoughts, he silently gasped. He hid his face on both his palms and slowly slid down the cold floor once more, wishing to die of embarassment.

"I am...I want to cry...!"

_"Why are you..." Misaki gulped the lump in his throat as he gazed at the pair of serious eyes peircing his every living cells in his body. "...willing to go as far as act like a gay's boyfriend?"_

_Instead of giving an answer, Usami just smirked at the teen before facing the front. His index finger dancing on the rim of the wine glass, and his profile as if in a different time and place._

_"I don't have anything to offer back in return for such a huge favor you're offering me," Misaki continued to press on. No matter how he flip things up, pretending to be boyfriends with this every woman's bachelor was nuts._

_With his head a little bowed, his facial features hidden and accentuated by the shadows at the same time, Usami sighed. "Nothing big. Just bored."_

I can't understand him...he's a homophobe who's willing acting like a gay...

_Misaki cleared his throat. "Well...I wouldn't let such an opportunity slip away..."_

_"Just remember the condition. And that we're only a couple from 8 am to 3 pm."_

_The teen leaned closer to the older man with an adamant face. Misaki knew he wasn't gay and he would never in hell fall in love with such a man with a complicated attitude._

_"I will never!" Misaki replied in a stern voice. "Same goes for you! Don't fall in love me!"_

_Usami started laughing a low, and somewhat mocking laugh. He gulped the remaining contents of his glass and turned his face to look at Misaki straight in the eyes._

_"Are you joking? That's bullshit," he smirked. "Anyway, I just want to make sure that you will not come running to me saying you've become a fairy."_

_Misaki's eyes shot wide open. "Fa-fairy?!"_

_"Yah, please, do me a favor and never say you've undergone metamorphosis ."_

_Frowning, Misaki grabbed the bottle in front of him and drank huge gulps. How in the world could they pretend they were in a relationship if on the onset they were both like canons shooting out to piss one another off._

_"I will never fall in love with another guy, just so you know. And if I would, certainly not you."_

_The older man, stood and started to take his leave. "Then we have a deal."_

_When the man was already completely out of sight, the teen out of annoyance started drinking the wine without thinking. He just drank and drank like it was water, or grape juice and by the time he was finished, he was the drunken mess trying to reach the refrigerator to get water for real._

_"What the...me turning into a fairy? What's he talking about...he should be worried...about himself...the jerk..." walking and feeling around the kitchen counter, a giggle escaped his wine smelling lips. "I am so going to piss Dad so much...can't wait to see the look on his face..."_

_He was already literally hugging the appliance just so he wouldn't tumble down. He started sniffing and getting all irate at everything. "If only he would accept my decision...I wouldn't have to pretend in the first place!"_

_After successfully opening the refrigerator door that felt to Misaki weighed a ton, he fell on his knees and not long after that, he laid there on his back being the dramatic, drunken mess. It was even his first time tasting alcohol. All the more reason, the teen was almost losing his mind._

_"We wouldn't have to hurt each other..." he rolled to his side. "I just don't want to go to the Military. I never wanted to become a hero..."_

_Misaki's ear was on the floor, and he could hear the coming footsteps loud and clear. It sounded like a ticking of the clock and when it stopped, the teen heard a clicking of a tongue and some irritated grunting._

_"Don't leave the refrigerator open...this is not your fuckin house."_

_Blinking a couple of times to clear his eyes, the teen pictured a silverhaired man standing before him. He looked so tall and big from the floor._

_"Just gettin...water..."_

_"Don't lay there for all eternity..."_

_Usami's brows were in a deep furrow as if thinking if he should help the boy up and drag the kid back to the guest room or just let the boy be._

_The older man started kicking the teen lightly on the knees. "Do you plan on sleeping there?"_

_"No..." laughing, Misaki ran his hand over his face. "I just couldn't stand back...everything is swirling..."_

_"Why drink if you couldn't hold your liquor?" sighing and resigning himself that he actually have to help the kid back to the guest room, Usami bended his knees and reached for Misaki's hands pulling the teen upwards._

_However, Misaki remained like a deadfish._

_"Hey, I need effort from you too!"_

_"I am trying..." Misaki replied, but he was one hundred percent obviously not._

_"Hey punk, I'm not going to sweep you off the floor like a freaking princess! Now be a man and stand up!" Usami ordered._

_Misaki grabbed on to the arms that were pulling him back on his feet. The way the teen's legs were almost like jelly they couldn't find the strenght to stand for even just five seconds was irritating the owner of the flat. There he went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water too and was greeted by a dunken boy on the kitchen floor, crying and laughing at the same time._

_"Sir...do you love your father?"_

_As if a flash of thunder could be seen in the older man's eyes, Usami's face grew expressionless. His grip on the teen's hands loosening, sending Misaki sliding back on the floor once more._

_"I don't care anymore, sleep there idiot."_

_Pissed and totally lost his thirst, Usami took a step away, only to be stopped by Misaki who started clinging on to his leg._

_"I love you Dad..."_

_Usami looked down at the teen desperately hugging his leg. He didn't know whether to get pissed or laugh or both. He tried yanking his leg free but the more he wanted to break free, the more Misaki's arms grew tighter around them._

_"Will you stop causing me so much trouble?!" Usami yelled. "Let go!"_

_"Dad, just hear me out please? Don't throw me to the same place he died...I can feel I will die too!"_

_Lavender eyes grew into slits. He didn't care who died, he just wanted to be freed from Misaki's grip._

_"You will seriously die if you don't let go now."_

_A series of pulling and yanking took place between Misaki and Usami. It made Usami lose his temper and he pulled away a little stronger. He was actually trying not to pull so much to avoid somehow hitting the kid, but he didn't care anymore. He pulled his leg abruptly, with Misaki pulling off the shoe he was wearing on the left side._

_As if the teen was complete satisfied with having the shoe as a companion, he stopped his whining and nonsense talking and started falling asleep._

_Sighing, the owner of the flat went back to his room with his right foot in an expensive shoe and the left one bare. Leaving Misaki on the kitchen floor, lightly snoring while hugging his shoe._

"Urgh...somebody...kill me now..." Misaki grumbled. His voice muffled by his hands. He looked at the shiny, black shoe before him and he wanted to kill himself even more. "Idiot...I am such an idiot...how can I cling to him like that?!"

* * *

Truthfully, Misaki didn't want to go home at all. But all his school stuff and his small savings he was hiding under his mattress was there. He had this complete picture as if it was already the reality of how his dad would welcome him. Misaki was sure with his Dad's iron fists, there would be a day that he wouldn't be able to arrange his face back into place.

Despite the heavy head and the heavy body, the teen left the flat without telling either Kaoruko or his fake boyfriend. He walked out the place in tiptoe while swearing he'd never so much as to drink a droplet of any kind of adult drink ever again. Obviously that wouldn't be possible. At that time, little did Misaki know that booze would become his best friend in the very near future.

It was seven thirty in the morning, the morning runners and dogwalkers were already on the streets taking Misaki's thoughts off his home for a while. However, when he reached the doorstep of their house, he was stunned to see his mother standing outside, wearily smiling at him with heavy dark circles under her eyes.

"Mom?" he called out in a breath. Afraid that the king of the household might have also raised his iron fists to his mother.

"Misaki..." she half smiled half cried at the sight of his son. Mainly because of the purplish spot on the once pinkish complexion on the teen's cheeks. Now Misaki looked like a doll with odd makeup for the costume play event at school. "I've been waiting for you..."

"Wh-why?"

The woman still in her clothes from last night glanced at the left side of their porch. Misaki followed his mom's gaze and his mouth opened in a silent 'what'.

"Your dad is really really mad at the moment dear. Let him cool his head...I'm sure later he'll be fine..for now, I've prepared your schoold uniform and bento together with your school things..."

"You didn't sleep at all...did you?" Misaki asked, running his thumb on his mother's cheek.

"Don't worry about me honey. Your dad wants to have a family meeting later this afternoon after your school, I'm sure we can work it out...for now...just don't anger him more than he already is. Be home at five. Okay?"

_"I can't even enter the house freely now?"_ he silently questioned, throwing a glance at his closed room window.

He stared at it for a good one minute before staring back at his mother where his older brother Takahiro got his looks.

"Alright...sorry mom."

With a dejected face and a heavy heart that was starting to feel like it was being buried everytime, Misaki grabbed his things and started walking away. Thinking he'd take a bath at school. Thinking he'd have to hurry make his essay assignment he wasn't able to do last night. And thinking what on Earth was his father thinking for a 'family meeting'. The last family meeting they had was when General Takahashi had forced Takahiro into the car and dragged the teen to the Military Academy. Misaki was just eight by that time and didn't actually understand what was going on. The next thing he heard about his precious brother, Takahiro had died because of military hazing.

* * *

The private high school where Misaki was attending was just a twenty minute walk away from their house. He had plenty of time to prepare himself for classes that starts at 9 am. With eyes not focused on anything particular, Misaki climbed the steep hill, making him sweat from the exertion of his aching ribs. He just realized that his fall on the floor after his father grabbing him last night might have been more serious than he thought.

He looked at the ground littered with dry tree leaves. However he stopped when a pair of black shoes blocked his way. Innocently raising his gaze to his front, Misaki suddenly wanted to curse his luck at misfortunes.

"Good day, Takahashi-kun?" a deep voice coming from a handsome young man started. With a smirk, he raised his hand to reach at Misaki's messy hair and started twirling the locks in his fingers. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Get lost, Shiba." Misaki spat, continuing his walk on the steep hill.

Shiba was a handsome guy from a family of government officials who kept on constantly harassing Misaki the day Misaki became friends with Usami Kaoruko.

"Ho ho, feisty so early in the morning..." Shiba leered as two more of his friends who looked like suitable to be rugby players out of nowhere appeared Misaki's back.

Many students had been passing by the ruckus Shiba was making, but many were not made courageous enough to stand up to a Cabinet Official's son. And so they passed like there wasn't wrong happening.

"What do you want?" Misaki spat pretending to be calm, deep inside he was feeling horrible from his drinking spree, his home matters and now this punk who seemed to enjoy harassing others was starting to eye him. He was seriously lucky at getting misfortunes.

"Just want you to give Kaoruko my letter..."

"Ha?" Misaki almost burst out laughing. "Give it to her yourself!" Misaki snapped, continuing his walk.

The young man stepped forward at Misaki, not allowing the brunette to take a step further. Shiba with his narrowed blue eyes grabbed Misaki's collar and hissed at Misaki's face.

"Acting so high and mighty after befriending the girl huh? I bet you flaunting you're gay is just your ploy to get on her good side. I wouldn't be surprised if suddenly you two started going out."

Misaki could see himself rolling his eyes. Clearly, people have their own interpretations of one thing. One meaning of another could have a total different meaning for the other. Which was what was exactly happening to him. People who knew he was gay started mocking him, but this Shiba was thinking Misaki likes Kaoruko. It was too stupid Misaki wanted to cry.

"What the hell are you saying? How many times do I have to tell you I am gay?" Misaki spat once more, irritated that like his father, this stupid wasn't also buying his story.

"And that we're good friends and that she's a guy hater so if you want to get on good terms with her, do something about your bad breath."

Obviously, Misaki was just lying, but Shiba got ticked off and pushed Misaki on the shoulder. "What huh you want to get your other cheek busted huh?"

"Leave me alone. If you're so crazy about Kaoruko, then face her upfront! Why me?!"

"Because you've seriously infiltrated her barrier. Hey, why don't you hand her over to us so we could hang out?"

"If you want to 'infiltrate her barrier' then become a homo!"

The tension around the high school students grew heavier and heavier. Many students who didn't care but want to be amused stopped on their tracks and watched the whole scene with their phones taking up snapshots. A General's son versus a Cabinet Official's son?

"Oh yeah...you've been saying you're gay and all that shit, but you haven't proven anything. There are a lot of Kaoruko senpai's admirers wanting to kill you you know?" Shiba drilled a hole on Misaki's face with his eyes. "Then strip. Isn't that what gays do? Stripping and parading and sucking cocks?"

Misaki found it extremely offensive. He didn't know but what this Shiba-kun was saying were like sulfuric acid that he was being forced to swallow.

"Or maybe..." the teen playfully pinched Misaki's nose and smirked. "How do gays get a turn on? By looking at men? You look like you're about to eat me...oh god I am so scared."

The sensible part of Misaki was telling him just ignore the jerk in front of him. He got two monsters at his back and he knew this early conversation was going nowhere. But Misaki was beyond his boiling point. The other students just watched like they were on a freak show. How cold could they get and how much more could they ignore this scene. SOmeone should have called a teacher, or a guard or n adult. But no, they just watched there for fun.

"I will never, ever get a hard on by looking at you. That's for sure," Misaki snorted in return. It earned some hooting from the watchers.

Again Misaki lied. He didn't know either. But he'd do anything to piss Shiba and he was successful. Misaki felt the firm fist of Shiba, a classmate and a Karate Club member drew his breath out of him by hitting him on the part just below his heart cavity.

Misaki instantly fell on his knees. His things scattered on the warm pavement.

With Misaki completely tired since from yesterday's events, the only thing he could do was glare while Shiba was grabbing his collar, same way his father did last night. Perhaps, Shiba was a long lost brother?

"Looking at you pisses me so much, Takahashi, you know that?"

Misaki closed his eyes as he could sense that the guy who was practically almost on top of him was about to hit him on the face, Misaki sighed a defeated sigh. _Everything is just so senseless..._

A screeching sound of tires broke the students' attention from the circle of bullying towards a red sports car that was running like a bullet but was still able to stop in a knick of time.

Many looked dumbfounded when they saw who got out from the screaming imported red car. What was more was the utter anger plastered on the manly face as he trudged his way inside the circle.

"What the fuck are you doing?" the voice was soft and yet there was something menacing in it that left the buzzing sound into a halt.

Misaki opened his eyes. Shiba looked up, his hands still on Misaki's collar.

"Fuck off!" Shiba shouted. He always had this assurance that nothing could go wrong with him being a son of an important government official. Thinking he could do the same with this man hovering above him.

"Could you get your dirty hands off of him?"

"Usami-san?" Misaki mumbled. He was starting to wonder why this man, dignified and handsome was getting so worked up between high school fights.

With a cool expression, Usami without effort grabbed Shiba's wrist and gripped on it. He didn't yank it, he didn't pull it however, the pain was clearly visible on the teen's face and he released his grip on Misaki, panting like his wrist had just been broken.

"Are you okay?" Usami asked Misaki, totally ignoring Shiba like the kid didn't even existed.

To everybody's surprise, much to Misaki's horror, the man bended lower and grabbed him by under his arms like he was some precious doll. Gently, and adorably he helped Misaki to his feet. He even patted Misaki's shirt to shoo away dirt that clung to it.

Most of all, the thing that left Misaki in utter loss for words and reaction was when this very same tall man in a sleek suit cupped both his cheeks and pressed a kiss on his sweaty forehead.

"I take my eyes off you and there are already guys wanting to have their way with you..."

"What?" Shiba shrieked. "I am no homo!"

Misaki just stared at the calm lavender eyes that were not letting go of his green ones. Next thing he knew was a huge hand pressed on his back and despite his clothes, Misaki could feel the coldness coming from them.

"Oh my god! They're an item!"

"For real!"

"Why are gay guys always so good looking?"

The circle broke and as if a royalty was coming, the students created a line of space for the two. Everyone was looking from Misaki's pathetic face to the apparition of how a hunk should look before them.

Usami led Misaki towards his car.

"What are you doing?" Misaki whispered.

"You're acting skills suck. Can't you do better than that surprised look on your face?" Usami replied, his lips almost looked like it didn't even move.

Misaki was almost touched by the kindness he forgot their setup. Seldom would people stand up for someone they didn't know that much. And whether it was acting or not, if a person suddenly appears before someone gets themselves be beaten to a pulp, naturally, a tingle of gratefulness would be sparked.

It felt like a slap, strangely to Misaki, when he realized and remembered their deal.

_I am being weird, am I not?_

Misaki was still hesitant, but he lifted his arm and circled them around Usami Akihiko's waist. Usami, for all the world to see placed his arm on Misaki's shoulders, brushing Misaki's cheeks with his thumb.

Narrowing his eyes, Misaki realized Kaoruko inside the car. The girl just threw a slight nod at him and faced the front once more.

As if there was a swarm of flies behind Misaki, the teen turned his head and saw undeniably the awe, disgust and surprise all in one on his schoolmates' faces.

"Misaki..."

Goosebumps ran all over Misaki's body at hearing his first name roll out from Usami's mouth. It sounded creepy...creepy in a good way. And it scared the hell out of the teen.

Misaki slowly looked back towards the car and realized that Usami had opened the car door for him.

"Misaki, get in...you'll be late."

Like a robot that has lost his senses, Misaki just followed what he was told.

Usami slammed the passenger's side door shut and walked graciously towards the driver's side. He looked bored pulling it open but before getting in, his lavender eyes in menacing slits darted at the bunch of faces looking at him. His glare directly focused on Shiba.

"Next time I see you messing with my lover..." Usami had heavily emphasized at the last word as if trying to imprint to everyone's mind his and Misaki's relationship. "I will be the last thing you'd see in your whole life."

The man hopped in and started the car. In an instant, the car had created a marvelous distance and had already taken a left turn, completely disappearing from the students' vision. By that morning, Takahashi Misaki's having a gorgoues boyfriend was leaking out faster than the waters of a raging river.

* * *

No one in the car uttered a word. They rode the remaining few meters to the school gate in silence.

Once the red sports car reached the high gates of the private academy with the school emblem calling out for attention, Kaoruko right away hopped out of the car, leaving Usami and the still baffled Misaki inside.

"Uhm..." Misaki looked to his right, to his feet, before finally being able to look at Usami's face. "I guess...thank you?"

"I just acted how a lover would act if he saw his partner being bullied, didn't I? No need thanking me."

Misaki's grip on his bag grew tighter.

"Ho-how did you know I was there?"

The man took out a cigarette and started lighting it.

"It was Kaoruko who told me that it's probably you in the middle of that mob being bullied. Anyway how weak could you get not being able to protect yourself? You're a male for crying out loud."

Despite the monotonous voice, Misaki could feel the irritation in the voice of the man beside him.

"Until when are we going to keep this fake relationship?" Misaki asked facing the front. They both had discussed the deal but no one had said about the deadline or when's the end of their charade.

"When you finally managed your old man not to send you to the Military."

"Really?"

"That's the whole point of this set-up right? But let me tell you, I don't intend this farce to go on for so long. We better end it quick."

There was a flinch on Misaki's brows Usami didn't see.

"I know we have to end it soon," the teen replied.

Misaki started shuffling to his side and he pushed open the car door to leave. He was about to step out with his bag across his chest when he heard his name be called.

"Misaki."

The teen, still uncomfortable hearing his own name come from a person other than his father and mother turned his head. With questioning eyes he waited for the man to say something.

Misaki knew for sure he had stopped breathing the moment he saw the man lean closer to him. The hand that protected him from Shiba reaching out to him in a slow manner, had rendered Misaki totally motionless. Unlike that guy hitting on him last night, Misaki couldn't even raise a finger or toe to start his run.

So close, their cheeks almost touching, Misaki's eyes remained opened wide as he felt the fingers brush his hair. Within a matter of seconds, Usami was back on his seat looking at his fingers.

"You've got a dried leaf on your head," Usami announced, waiving the dirty, brown leaf at Misaki's face.

Without wanting to stay one more minute alone with Usami Akihiko, Misaki hopped out and ran towards the gate without looking back.

Misaki could still feel the violent drumming inside his chest like he was being choked to death. He knew feeling that was kind of weird. That was really weird.

_"I think...I need to be careful..._" Misaki thought to himself.

Only after Misaki heard the loud screeching of the car did Misaki look back at the small red dot racing away.

He really should be careful. Usami Akihiko was such a great actor, too good of an actor that Misaki was afraid he might actually start forgetting it was just an acting.

* * *

**chapter notes: my heavy sched is because of this:**

**QUEER AS FOLK'S SEASON 1 ENDING HAD ME CRYING LIKE AN IDIOT AND I KEPT ON REPEATING AND REPEATING THAT LAST EPISODE.** it's exactly what i've been waiting for! and then wham! shipping BrianXJustin very very much. Oh well, QUEER AS FOLK has a very strong impact. not just because you get to see a lot of butts! hahaha...i totally am falling in love with the development of Brian and Justin's relationship I wanted to crack Brian's head open like an egg because he's the Supreme King of Jerks. Hohoho...the last episode has got to be the slap to wake him up about cuddly, sweet Justin.

**warning:** naked boys are all around, some naked girls too...too much sexiness from Brian and too much cuteness from Justin and too much love for all the gang. too much laughing from their perks, too much touching scenes from friendship and family and again..too much fangirling for Brian and Justin

**short summary and i am kind of biased:** Brian (29) is like the perfect, perfect, perfect seme in the world that everybody wants to sleep with, like he's got some magnet on him. and Justin (17 turning 18, oh i love how he revealed his age AND i wouldn't know if it's awesome that he met the King of Jerks when he was just trying to open up to his real self...i guess it's good, if not then i wouldn't have something to fangirl about)is the most adorable thing ever holding on to his love for Brian even if the King of Jerks constantly says he's single and all and that F*** is just F***... and Brian doesn't believe in love. I tear up my heart and eyes and all other organs for Justin for falling in love with the Supreme King of Jerks. the other friends of Brian are equally adorable and fantastic. it was a whole great experience watching it...it's been a while since i watched something that didn't allow me to yawn and go sleepy. 10/10...because i am still pretty much overwhelmed.

and on the side..**.i could imagine Junjou Romantica with it because it offers many couples' relationships. Emphasizing on my favorite - Brian as Usami akihiko (the extremely dirty type) and Justin of course as Misaki (the daring type with all the cuteness intact) hohohohohoho...**

**( see...i didn't put any spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet. because i love the experience of surprises...hahahaha...i may be absent again in the net world because i will totally finish all five seasons...down to four!^^)**

i need a bunch of tissues for my tears and nosebleed and eyebleed...^^  
(don't hate me Sherlock...i'll just finish Queer as folk first^^ hehehe)

thanksto my friend who recommended this to me. it had me totally addicted.

-shuusetsu

if you ever had the time or if you haven't seen this yet...please...i beg you..the ride of Brian and Justin is seriously one of the best^^ the american version is what i am watching^^


	4. Hidden Agenda

**【【【****Hidden agenda】】】**

* * *

With his lavender eyes, Usami Akihiko darted his gaze from his cup of coffee to the untouched chiffon cake before him. He was waiting rather boredly for his editor to finish looking at his draft. Usami was even thinking that the woman named Aikawa chose the wrong place to meet up. He could practically feel all the curious glances people threw at him.

"Damn these people..." he mumbled. He knew he was good looking. He knew he was well-built. And he knew how pretentious people were. So although people kept on checking on him, the man just ignored all of them like they didn't even exist.

The woman smiled satisfied before putting the papers down the table. Her bright eyes and reddish hair complimented her white long-sleeves shirt. She looked pretty enough but Usami could only see the woman as a forceful tyrant of an editor.

"Sensei...I like the idea...I am so happy that you're finally out of writer's block..." the woman mumbled, being stomach-churning polite all of a sudden. Perhaps, Usami Akihiko's untimely vacation from writing made the woman very cautious.

The man that he was was a man who lived practically writing his heart and brains out. A profession his family opposed to. For some reason, he lost the will to write some months ago. And then off an idea came to him. Just like that, he wanted to write once more. Although maybe one person would get frustrated but that time, he didn't care. He just wanted to write.

"So Usami-sensei...your novel idea this time is about a high school boy..." she continued. "But wouldn't it be hard to pull on a character portraying a modern teenager? I mean, the high schoolers now are different from when we were..."

Usami picked up the fork and stabbed the cake lightly. "I have a model...well...I am observing."

Aikawa leaned closer, getting curious as her eyes narrowed into slits. "Oh, did the person agreed for you to use his life story?"

The flinch on the author's brows was so sudden and passed so fast the woman didn't even notice it. "He doesn't know anything about it. But...I'm doing him a favor so I don't think he'd complain."

"EH?!" Aikawa blurted looking so much surprised. "Sensei, that is really rude and you know it of all people. Why don't you just ask for permission first before basing this novel to that person to avoid troubles in the future?"

Drawing a deep breath, he exhaled slowly releasing the tension in his body. "Just as I've mentioned Aikawa, I am just observing. If he turned out to be an interesting subject then I might give it a go. This is not yet final. I might get bored of him and his life story in the middle. Just looking at the possibility since I have nothing to do and I still can't write properly."

The woman editor's face showed concern but she didn't utter a word. She'd just have to look out of the progress of the story and the come back of her star author Usami AKihiko.

* * *

The day passed so fast without Misaki even realizing it. He went to all his classes like a doll devoid of expressions and thinking. It was as if he had left his soul somewhere else. Students kept on looking at him every way possible, turning their faces and whispering softly. The renowed General's son had a bruise on his face too dark to ignore. Not just that but the couple-show Takahashi Misaki and some hot older man put on that early morning on the sidewalk that had spread faster than a wild fire was too shocking to pass.

Misaki didn't even care anymore. He had long lost interest in making friends at school and all he cared was just finish fucking high school and be on his own.

As he walked to his locker, students purposely made space for him like he had some incurable disease.

_"Is this the height of bullying?"_ Misaki thought as he yanked his locker open. _"In truth, they're doing me a favor...saving me from all the explanations and shit..."_

Just then, a hand patted him on the shoulder and when he turned his gaze towards the owner, he felt his face ease up a little.

"Takahashi...you never cease to amaze me..." Takatsuki Shinobu mumbled,uncaring that he might also experience being shunned off from the rest just by talking to Misaki. "You've done it now...having a boyfriend."

The green-eyed boy had to blink a couple of times to process it. Boyfriend? Who? Him?

A rather genuine laugh escaped Misaki's lips. He had really forgotten about it and being reminded by it out of the blue made Misaki feel so unreal. For one, it felt somehow, ridiculously soothing to have someone think that Misaki do have someone willing to step out and protect him. That in itself made Misaki a little relieved if not totally happy.

"He and I are just pretending..." Misaki whispered, grinning, making him look like more stupid from his bruise on his face. The dark blonde already had an idea where his friend got it so he didn't ask about it anymore. Where else? From the iron fisted general for sure.

Shinobu's eyes grew wide as he watched the brunette throw his stuff inside his locker. He even took a step closer to Misaki just so they could talk being sure that no one could hear them.

"What? Where did you find a guy to act as your fling?" the teen whispered carefully, not being able to hide the curiosity of this sudden development. First his friend befriended a girl who was known as a guy-hater at school. Second, his friend deliberately acted all so effiminate and lustful around his father's circle and everybody just to piss the general, and now, rumors had been going around that his very same friend has a dead-gorgeous boyfriend and crazy rich on top of that. It was like his friend Takahashi was openly asking to be killed by his father.

Takahashi frowned a little before slamming the door shut. "I don't know how it happened, it just ended up that way...it's not going to be for long though...so...I just have to strum on my father's bad side soon and have him accept that I don't want to follow him."

The darkblond rolled his eyes, smacking the brunette hard on the back. "You be careful, I have read plenty about this pretending-scheme only for the other one to fall with the other."

Misaki laughed as they started walking out the lockers area out into the afternoon sun. Students were busy chatting or readying themselves for their club activities. Everything was just lively, a proof that no matter what happened to Misaki's life, the boy thought that the world would still go round.

"What on Earth are you saying?" Misaki smacked back. "Like I will? It's just an act. An act okay?"

Grey eyes watched Misaki as if examining the other's every pore and raised a brow. "I am just warning you...you know...the first to fall in love is always at the disadvantage..."

"You talk as if I have really turned to the other side of the team you idiot!" Misaki grumbled, forgetting the dreaded family meeting he so hated. "I will not turn into a fairy out of the blue!"

"Well, honestly Takahashi, I wouldn't be surprised if you developed something. Maidens develop feelings for their saviors when they're in a pinch. Watch your back, it's not a matter whether you're a guy or a girl."

"You're starting to piss me off Takatsuki, maiden? Who's the maiden here?" Misaki lowered his voice. "I am not gay...alright? Everything is just for my father to stop dragging me to the military academy...okay?"

The blonde just hooted annoying the brunette even more. But despite that, Misaki couldn't possibly totally be mad at the guy walking beside him. Takatsuki always just said whatever was in his mind and Misaki was glad for it. Not having someone with sugar coated words to try to comfort him.

Having his spirits almost coming back to its originality, Misaki walked with his head up high once more despite the occasional glances at his face. The two friends were already talking about some nonsense thing, a habit they had both created from years of being tossed with each other since elementary. However, Misaki's peace didn't last long. He had practically stopped walking and breathing the moment he caught the familiar tint of a bluish, black SUV with the military sticker shining as if warning him.

"Takahashi, what's wrong?" the blonde followed Misaki's gaze and the boy instantly knew why. The general, the forceful father had personally come to pick up his only, remaining son. Even him could feel the strange terror that surrounded the car even from a distance.

As if the huge, overbearing man was actually glaring at the school gates in wait for his son, the moment he saw the teen, he hopped off the car in his slick military uniform and everyone just had to pause with whatever thing they were busy with. It did not help that the fierce afternoon sun was accentuating every hollow and firm, serious muscles on the man's face. He walked towards the frozen brunette with such elegance accumulated from years of strict way of living.

"Takahashi..." Shinobu whispered not being able to move his gaze away from his friend's father. He could see that the man was royally pissed. "...will you be alright?"

"Who knows..." Misaki replied, his body trembling. He knew his father meant business, seeing that he was wearing his proud uniform with such a dark face. Perhaps, him having a boyfriend had already reached his father's intelligence.

"We're gonna have a looooooooooong talk, my son. So move it!"

Misaki gulped. His feet suddenly weighing a ton when he dragged them towards his father. Right after he was in front of the man, Misaki felt the entire world shake. A slap so piercing that felt worth a year met his already bruised face that he eventually fell to the ground with a pathetic thud. Instantly his face felt like burning. He was even too stunned to realize that he was already crying. The pain in his body couldn't keep up with his delayed reactions with his emotions anymore. Students on their way home gasped, even feeling a little pity for the brunette. They couldn't possibly imagine their own parents doing that to them. And despite them having a good laugh and chat about the gay that Misaki was, they felt bad and scared for the teen.

Takatsuki ran towards Misaki's side, trying to help the green-eyed boy stand up.

"Boyfriend? Where is this fucking homo and I'd kill that prick!"

"None...none of your business..." Misaki hoarsely mumbled, digging his own grave.

The next thing Shinobu saw was Misaki being dragged by the hair towards the general's car. How could such a father treat his child so harshly in the public? Everyone could perhaps understand how a father would feel if his son turned to be not the complete man he wanted his son to be, but to use that kind of violence was just so wrong.

The worst was because he was a general, no one dared to question how he 'disciplined' his son.

Shinobu watched the car send off angry smoke as it screetched away from sight. He felt a presence beside him and raised a brow realizing it was the guy-hater Kaoruko.

"I never imagined that it was this severe..." the soft voice sounding so sweet just made the darkblond imagine terrible spanking from the old man.

"It's always like this, he always hit Takahashi but before it was just on parts that couldn't be seen," Shinobu mumbled, tasting bitterness for his friend's situation. "But as the graduation is nearing, Takahashi was desperately trying to avoid the military academy and Uncle, started hitting him anywhere, everywhere."

Surprised at the hurried typing Kaoruko made on her phone, Shinobu cocked his head to the side. Kaoruko had heard from her own uncle the funny deal. She was a little irritated about it since she was still hurt by Misaki's lying. But the scene just a while ago convinced her that perhaps, Misaki just really need someone to take and save him from his house.

"Well, I guess, the lover should save the one in distress..." the girl mumbled with a crease on her fine brows.

"Huh?" Shinobu asked perplexed.

"Fake or real, they had a deal..." the girl added, rendering Shinobu out of idea what the girl was saying since he didn't know that the fake boyfriend was her uncle and a celebrated writer no less. "...there...sent!"

* * *

"Stop it dear! My god you're going to kill our son!"

Tears, gasps and sobs filled the Takahashi house. And no matter how much the woman wanted to make herself a shield to his son, she knew there was nothing she could actually do. She just watched his son fall on the cold floor numerous times with blood trickling down from his raw lips.

They hardly even set foot away from the entrance when the old man started making a punching bag of his son right after they arrived.

"HOW DARE YOU GET INVOLVED WITH A FUCKING HOMO? DID I RAISE YOU LIKE THIS YOU PIECE OF SHIT?!" the man screamed, almost breaking Misaki's eardrums. He was limp and only relied on his father's grip on his collar to remain standing. Otherwise he knew he'd fall on the floor.

"OUT OF ALL THE SHIT YOU MADE TO EMBARASS ME, THIS IS THE WORST. DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I'D LET MY ONLY SON BECOME A SICKLY HOMO? I'D SPANK YOU SHITLESS UNTIL YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER!"

The green eyed boy couldn't help but grin. His father must have hit him too much already that he had become accustomed to it or his brain must have been shaken bad he had gone completely insane to be grinning while being bashed like that. He just went numb from the pain. It was a relief though.

"I'm still not going to the Military academy..." Misaki whispered, his breathing making a wheezing sound. "Kill me...I don't care. You...and your fucking man's pride..."

For Misaki, that felt so good. To actually call his father names and say things he knew would greatly anger his father felt an instant heaven in him. If not for his mother, Misaki would have already ran from home and deep in his heart he had this longing that his father would come back to normal. But that day seemed never to be coming to light.

"Dare. Tell. Me. That. Again."

The only thing that Misaki could grasp was the anguish in his father's breathing and his mother's pained sobs. Towards his body he could just feel nothing. perhaps he was dying. His father really had an iron fist and he certainly didn't know his own strenght well enough to restrain it.

Misaki lay on his stomach on the floor crawling, wriggling towards the door. He knew he looked so pathetic. The general's hard breathing as sign that he had grown tired as well from hitting and hurting Misaki, both parents looked at Misaki.

"Misaki, you really don't have to suffer this if you're just going to be obedient, why are you so stubborn?" the father asked, his voice surprisingly pained as well. Or perhaps it was just Misaki's hallucination.

The family of three hadn't noticed the presence of an uninvited guest standing by their door.

To Usami Akihiko's horror, what he saw on the floor had him numb for a moment. He didn't expect he would see such cruelty against such a small and thin body like that. He even thought that probably the boy was already dead.

He was just driving aimlessly after his meeting with his editor when his phone rang. A mail from his niece surprised him since Kaoruko never used her phone unless it was important. The girl said that his fake lover was in trouble and a freaking vague address he had to make a couple of rounds before finding his destination. But never had he imagined what he saw. The boy was practically crawling on the floor so looking weak, and pathetic. It was beyond trouble. It gravely hurt him. Nothing sort of intimate feelings, it hurt him as a human being. And he pitied Misaki's predicament with his father.

"Who the hell are you?!" the master of the house spat at the man in a suit having an obvious disbelief on his face as he crouched down to pull the boy up.

"Misaki?" Usami called, tapping the bloody, swollen face of the boy. This time, if Usami hadn't recognized that green glint behind those half closed eyes, he was sure there would be no way for him to recognize Misaki.

The father was rather scandalized at hearing another man, call his son in his first name. His fist in tight balls, he took a step forward, glaring at the silverhaired man craddling his son.

"You're the fucking homo who brainwashed my son, didn't you?"

Usami for the first time in a long while wanted to puke right on the spot. How could this man call the brunette his son the way he just treated him. It was so stupid that Usami was angered by it.

"I'm taking Misaki with me," Usami announced unfaltering while glaring back at the General.

Both Misaki's parents were struck dumbfounded. The weight of really meeting the gay lover of their son securing them in their place.

"I'D KILL YOU BEFORE YOU COULD EVEN STEP OUT OF THIS HOUSE!"

To Misaki's mother's surprise, the general out of nowhere pointed a caliber .35 at the stranger without so much thought. He looked like he really meant it. But Usami Akihiko was not fazed by it at all that he gathered the beaten up boy in his arms and stood magnificently cocky. The thing that annoyed the old man was even the haughty way the lavender eyes glared at him.

"Go ahead and do so," Usami replied with such coldness. "You're an asshole for a father."

"Usami-san?"

The urge to look down at the broken mess in his arms was so strong that Usami just wanted to go and drive the kid to the hospital. But Misaki kept on moving his bleeding mouth. Begging.

"Please...don't fight with my father..."

Sternly, Usami eyed the teen and just got even surprised, a little delayed at how light the boy was.

"You'll stay with me now love, okay?"

Misaki's fading consciousness took on that word 'love' with every bit of confusion in his body.

Usami ignored the man of the house and instead faced the shocked woman who had gone quiet by the walls. "Madam, I'll be taking care of your son in the meantime. I don't think I could leave my lover, " Usami rolled his tongue ever so slowly at the word to emphasize he wasn't joking. The funny thing was he was expecting at least a discomfort for calling the boy like that. But he didn't feel anything. He just threw the matter off as being caught up with the situation and nothing else. "...in this house with his own father. I'll contact you as soon as possible."

"WHAT?!"

The woman summoned every bit of her courage and blocked her husband. "Please...don't hurt Misaki anymore...you're too much!"

* * *

Every once in a while Usami Akihiko would steal a glance at the limp figure on his passenger seat. Had he not secured him firmly with the seat belt, he was ure the teen would slid down right off the bat. He could tell the boy was awake. By the shaking in the boy's hands desperately clinging with the seatbelt and the raspy breathing coming from the boy. Most of all, the silent tears and the painful, choked sobs the boy was trying so much to stop from escaping his mouth.

"Does it hurt that badly? We're headed to the hospital so hold on..." he assured. Then making a left turn towards a short-cut he knew, he was careful minding his driving so as not to make the teen feel any more pain that he already was feeling. "You could really sue your father for doing this, you know? You don't have to endure this kind of beating."

Misaki just chuckled like he had gone out of his mind. "It's okay. I don't want that to happen..." he answered hoarsely. "T-thank you for taking me away..."

"Don't worry about it."

"It's just that..." Misaki to Usami's surprise started sobbing violently he didn;t know what to do. "It's just that no one had tried to reach out helping me despite the neighbors hearing us everytime this happens...I am...so glad..." the boy sniffed, wiping his eyes with the back of his bruised hand.

The man driving threw a glance at Misaki shortly and sighed. When he looked at his dashboard it said it was already almost six. And they had only agreed for the pretense of being loves until three pm. This time Usami just decided to let it pass.

"We'll we're a gay couple so the lover should come running to save the other, I only did my role and you better thank Kaoruko because it was her who told me where you are."

"Usami-san?"

"Hmmm?"

"Can we not go to the hospital?"

By the question Usami almost slammed on the breaks. What would the damned brat do with his injuries then? "Are you out your mind?"

"If we go to the hospital, they'd ask me how I got these...and it's not going to be believable if I say I tripped and fell from the stairs..."

"You could die for all we know there must be internal bleeding!" Usami grumbled, growing annoyed at his companion.

"They'd start to question me and I don't want this reach the media...please..." Misaki begged, barely even able to mutter the words clearly.

Exasperated, Usami frowned deeply. The kid was a fucking saint it was annoying the hell out of him. The man sighed a defeated one and maneuvered the car for his flat's direction instead.

* * *

Usami couldn't even believe what he was doing. Carrying the boy like a princess from the parking lot all the way to his flat at the top most floor of the building, being careful so as not to cause more pain, he went in slow strides. When the two entered, the house was still dim, a sign that Kaoruko hasn't come home yet.

The older man gently placed the teen on the bed in the guest room the boy had used just earlier. He didn't even thought that he'd end up taking the boy in that soon. Their relationship for show was developing rather into something unpredicatable.

"I called a friend of mine who's a doctor. He could at least check on you. For now, let's tend to the bleeding wounds..."

With even an excruciating pain just by trying to turn his head towards Usami Akihiko, Misaki tried to read the man's thoughts but failed. Deep in his heart's recesses was the gratefulness of letting him feel the joy of someone protecting him. Though he was bothered, if Usami was just being nice because of the pretense of their relationship or the man really meant it.

Truthfully, despite aching all over, Misaki suddenly wondered why the man even offered to be his fake lover, not to mention he despised was in it for the man to go all the trouble of pretending to be a gay man for that matter?

"Could you remove your shirt?" Usami asked nonchalantly. "Or don't tell me you'd prefer me take it off for you, don't push your luck kid."

Misaki had to frown, probably wanting to take back the good feeling he was starting to harbor.

"I can do it myself," the teen replied, not able to mask a little of his annoyance despite his aching body.

Misaki sat on the bed as Usami went out the guest room to take the first aid kid. When he went back, he sighed that the boy hadn't made any progress.

"Sorry...I can't lift my arms...can't remove my blazer..."

The older man sighed and walked towards the bed. "Just try to be still and I'll pull it over your head. Is that alright?"

The boy nodded. It still hurt to raise his arms but it was better than tugging his blazer off from his head. After they were done, Usami eyed Misaki. "You could at least unbotton your own shirt right?" he asked with a raise brow. The thought of removing and unbuttonng somebody else's clothes was unnerving Usami shuddered at the thought. And Misaki was as hell as certain he didn't want that too.

Without waiting for Misaki's response, Usami turned his back to check on his phone and read a mail from his friend doctor on the way.

Right after Usami turned to look back at his beaten up guest who had successfully unbottoned everything. Usami heard himself curse under his breath.

"Shit..." the tall man walked over the bed, not being able to remove his gaze from the patches of blue and black on the teen's abdomen and sides. Misaki shyly averted his eyes away, uncomfortable from the hard stare the other was giving him.

"Those...are old ones right?" Usami whispered, trying to reach at Misaki's side to with his fingers only to stop before reaching the skin. He cleared his throat shooing the sudden awkwardness of having two men in one room. "Those are serious you know, how come you have to endure all these, you're practically a beaten up rag doll like that..."

Misaki looked down at his own abdomen and winced at the sight. It looked disgusting and he was surprised to actually see them like that for the first time. To have his bruises pointed at him for him to see, made the ugly marks fiercer and painful somewhat. However, the most perplexing thing was the genuine sound of concern from Usami Akihiko's voice.

_"Ha, why this overwhelming feeling?"_ Misaki thought. _"Anyone would be completely moved and shocked to see something like this...it's normal..."_

Usami heard the doorbell to his flat ring and he stood from the bed slowly. "Lay on your back, the doctor is here already."

Before the man could leave the room completely, Misaki voiced a small thanks which the man didn't anymore answer to.

Misaki was plain happy to have to not stay in their house for the second time. The gay hater uncle of Kaoruko didn't even appear as bad as he initially thought he would be. He was even relieved. He was sure they could be good friends seeing that the man could symphatize with his problem. Misaki would always be grateful for the concern he received from someone he didn't know all too well. And so, hearing slight murmurings from the ajar door, the boy closed his eyes dwelling into the little happiness he was feeling. Misaki drifted to sleep in the comforts of the warm bed even before the doctor could check on him. Still unaware that he was just a subject Usami was observing for his novel.

* * *

chapter end notes:

whoa..it's been forever! FOREVER! HAHA

THANK YOU FOR THE KINDNESS AND SUPPORT!

-SHUUSETSU


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